Healthcare workers dedicate their lives to saving others, yet when they need care themselves, many find themselves helpless. This is the harsh reality facing Haron Wafula, a clinical officer from Bungoma County, who was recently involved in a road traffic accident. He sustained a severe knee injury requiring urgent arthroscopic surgery, but like many healthcare workers in Kenya, he lacks comprehensive medical cover. Now, he is forced to rely on well-wishers to fund his treatment.
The Reality of Inadequate Medical Coverage
Kenya’s healthcare system is in crisis, not just for patients but also for the very professionals who keep it running. Many clinical officers and healthcare workers lack access to comprehensive medical cover especially in bungoma County. When they fall sick or get injured, they face the same financial struggles as the patients they serve.
Haron’s story is one of many. His surgery will cost Ksh 480,000. SHA has pledged Ksh 280,000, and his family has managed to raise Ksh 100,000, but he is still Ksh 100,000 short. Without this surgery, he cannot return to work or provide for his family.
The Bigger Picture: An Urgent Need for Reform
Haron’s plea for help comes at a time when the Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO) is on its eightith day of industrial action. The strike highlights the ongoing struggles of clinical officers, who are demanding better working conditions, discrimination by the SHA BOARD over empanelment, non implementation of the RTWF 2024, and—most crucially—comprehensive medical coverage. Bungoma County alleges to have procured a comprehensive medical cover from britam, which is not working for its workers with unclear reasons.
It is unacceptable that those who spend their lives caring for others must beg for help when they themselves fall ill or get injured. This situation raises serious questions for the government and policymakers:
1. Why are healthcare workers not prioritized in the country’s health insurance schemes?
2. Why must medical professionals, who are essential to the system, rely on fundraising for their own care?
3. What reforms are being put in place to ensure that all clinical officers receive adequate medical cover?
A Call to Action
To the County government of Bungoma and health officials:* The time for change is now. Healthcare workers should not have to fight for the basic right to medical care. We urge policymakers to address this issue with the urgency it deserves. A system that does not take care of its caregivers is a broken system.
Haron’s story should not be just another tragic case. It should be a wake-up call. Let’s stand with him and all other healthcare workers who are struggling. Because when they heal, they can continue healing others.
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